 |
| Lord Dattatreya |
Lord Dattatreya is Jagatguru , Guru of all Gurus and present even now
and he will come at all times . Lord Dattatreya is not an incarnation
like Bhagavan Sreekrishna or SreeRama . He is a visible personality ,
physically available for darshan to us , if we would have the faith and
devotion in his sacred feet . It is believed by the followers of Datta
-sampradaya that Datta is in the flesh and blood of devotees . He is an
Avadhootha . He is Yogiraja .He is Gnaana pradaatha. Lord Dattatreya had
been a guru to Brahma , Parashurama , prahlada , patanjali , lord
Subramanya , Kings yedu , alarka , Kartaveeryaarjuna. Datta is a kaarana
yogi , Kaarana purusha ,a kaarana Avatara to give the message of guru
sampradaya and guru bhakthi . Lord Dattatreya is an avathara of
trimoorthis Brahma , Vishnu and Maheswara. Lord Dattatreya is an Ocean
of knowledge and advance spirituality . Individual results may vary in
spiritual advancement but it will be assured . No caste is barred , No
creed is barred , No religion is barred , No limitations for datta .As
an incarnation of lord , Datta Comes down to spread the universality of
true religion . Any one can be his follower regardless of cast , creed
,status ,student , house-holders no limitations are there. No matter
what sect or religion the true seeker follows eventually he comes under
the guidance of Lord Dattatreya . Datta’s Presence is not limited to
any one country or sphere. He is the guru of all gurus, the all-being
all powerful , ever-present link between God and Man . The lord datta is
endowed with all wealth . He is all pervading and resides in the hearts
of all beings. He is the great maayavi, sporting with his own maaya. He
is Brahma, he is Vishnu and he is Rudra. He is Indra and he is also the
gods of heaven and all other beings. He is the East, he is the West, he
is the North, he is the South, he is below and he is above. He is
everything. This is the glory form of Lord Dattatreya.
The power of Datta Nama:
Just, simple recitation of name “DATTA” is enough to burn away all
the sins . Who recites datta’s name, meditates upon him and worships him
will be blessed with both bhakthi in abundance and Mukthi in the end.
The name Dattatreya symbolises the idea of unity in diversity, connects
the people of different creeds and synthesizes various differences found
in the society. In the Datta sampradaya, Dattatreya is worshipped as
“SADGURU”. Dattatreya’s love to his bhakthas is unbounded and once
surrendered to him, they are taken care of not only in this birth but
till the end i.e., SALVATION. Because of this rinanubhandha or previous
attachments only many devotees who were not at all concerned with him
initially have done so much service after they had been drawn to him.
The name of Dattatreya is a safe boat (Taaraka) that enables a devotee
to cross the ocean of life with success.
TESTING NATURE OF DATTATREYA:
Lord dattatreya has the habit of testing the steadfastedness and
devotion of his devotees in various forms. He will test the intensity of
devotion of the devotees. He may appear very ugly or he may be engaged
in despicable practices. If we can stand the severity of his tests, our
request is simple for him. There is no doubt about it. Those who
worships Lord Datta with dedicative devotion, following the 16 courtesis
of worship and offer sandal paste, flowers, incence, light and garlands
and who propitiate him with a variety of instrumental music, with
dances, bhajans, processions and worship of Brahmins, they will not
suffer from any sort of deficiencies either in this birth or in their
next births.
DATTA TATWA:
The Sandilyopanishad clearly declares that lord Dattatreya is the
supreme reality and is the cause of everything that is created. It
states that “the supreme Brahman performed penance which was of the
nature of knowledge, and desiring to become many, assumed the form of
Dattatreya. From that form the three letters A,U,M came out, the three
mystical names Bhuh, Bhuvah and Svah the lined Gayathri, the three Vedas
Rig, Yajur and Sama, the three Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara and
the three fires Garhapatya, Ashavaneeya and Dakshina. Acoording to
Avadhootopanishad, an Avadhootha is one who is beyond all Varna and
Ashrama, a Yogin deeply centred in the self-brahman, one free from the
bondage of hope and despair one who is pure in the beginning, in the
middle and in the end of his life, one who is always merged in bliss,
without a desire, with pure and truthful speech, one who has made his
mind pure through meditation and Samadhi. In this kind of Avadhutha, the
meditator, the meditation and the object of meditation become one. In
Datta sampradaya, Dattatreya is worshipped as an Avadhootha.
There are four letters in the word “AVADHOOTHA”
(A+VA+DHU+THA). A represents Anubhoothi , VA represents Vakar (vasanas),
DHU represents dharana and dhyana, THA represents discrimination,
self-centered meditation free from Moha.
Numerous incarnations have been taking place from Yuga to Yuga and
they disappear. But the incarnation of Datta prabhu is different. It has
no end even at the end of kalpa. Poorna Brahman was recast in the form
of Dattaprabhu and by his mere look alone countless Jivas get salvation
from worlds. His disciples comprise all types 1. Arta 2. Artharthi 3.
Jignasu and 4.Gnani. Dattatreya is an Avinasi avathara. He is
Smarthrugaami. He is trigunarahitha.
DATTATREYA-DATTATRAYA:
The phrase ‘Datta”actually has the meaning of ‘given’ or ‘granted’.
The common etomology for Dattatreya’s name is ‘he who has given’ (Datta)
to Atri(Atreya)- as Atri desired a son and the gods were pleased with
his penance and austerity, the God Vishnu gave himself up and was born
to Anasuya. Another explanation is he was ‘given up’ (Datta) the
three-traya. “The three” were is a reference to three gunas- Rajo guna,
Sattava guna and Thamo guna which is a tripartite schema for classifying
the physical world.”Datta” means not only “that which is given” but
also as the ideal of “giving” without desire for reward, i.e., selfless
giving. The whole life of Dattatreya shows us that this “giving”
selflessly is the true renunciation/sacrifice.
GRACE OF GURU:
Guru anugraha is a very potent and vital in spiritual sadhana for a
sadhaka to progress and march on safely. Spiritual sadhana is a very
subtle, intricate and complex process. In this aspect not only the
guidance of a guru is essential but also his grace is most essential.
The Guru (preceptor) is equal to or even more powerful than god in
conferring the benefits to devotees. If we ask why, the answer is that
God has not been seen by any one, but the preceptor is present here and
now before us.There is prominent importance was given to guru. Hence
GURUR-BRAHMA, GURUR-VISHNUH; GURU-DEVO MAHESWARAHA;
GURUR-SAKSHATH PARAM BRAHMA; THASMAI SREE GURAVE NAMAHA:
The preceptor is Brahma, Vishnu, is the God Maheswara is verily brahma
itself. Salutation to such a preceptor. Whatever great and auspicious
qualities God possesses, the preceptor also possesses the same, namely
purity, truth, complete control of the senses, infinite compassion and
wisdom. The only difference is that three things are hard to be
obtained without God’s grace. They are 1. birth as a human being 2.
desire to know the truth and to get liberated and 3. the attainment of
holy preceptor. If we commit an offence against God, there is no need to
seek pardon from God himself. It is enough if the
preceptor forgives us. God’s anger will at once be disappeared. On the
contrary, if one offends the preceptor, and seeks pardon from God,
nothing would happen. God himself would tell him that he is helpless in
the matter and he will ask us to get the pardon from the preceptor
alone. The preceptor can intercede on behalf of the disciple and
recommend to God to pardon the sinner. God will never disregard this
recommendation. There is a verse which tell us this as follows.
“GURUR-PITAA, GURUR-MAATAA, GURU-DAIVAM, GURU-GATIH,
SIVE-RYSGTE GURU-STRAATAA, GURU RUSHTE NA KASCANA”.
That is why the scriptures enjoin the devotion to the preceptor. If a
preceptor who is perfect in all respects is not available, one has to
take to some preceptor as a spiritual guide even though he is a grade
lesser than required, and practice devotion to him and through him to
God. In the ‘Chandayogaupanishad’ itself declared that only by the grace
of the Guru true knowledge is possible. It says “AACAARYAVAAN PURUSHO
VEDA” (only one who has preceptor, gains true knowledge). Sri Sankara
Bhagavatpada, sings the praise of the Guru everywhere. He has given
“GURU ASHTAKAM” as a prasada to us. He clearly tells that do service at
the holy feet of Guru everyday. Seek the instruction on Brahman,
symbolized in the single syllable om! Listen to the Mahaavaakyaas of
Upanishads.
Lord Dattatreya is Adiguru, Viswaguru, Jagatguru. Hence “GURU
DATTATREYA VIJAYATHE” is a prayer which is respected by the devotees of
Dattatreya. The avathara of Dattatreya is a unique one and it is mainly
meant for the promulgation of right type of knowledge (divine wisdom) as
Jagat-Guru (God-Guru) and a boon-bestower and not for killing any demon
as in the case of all other incarnations.
“DATTATREYAM-GURUM-DEVAM; DHYAYE ANISAM-SADA-SIVAM
TANMAATRAM – TASYA – GITAMCHA; VYA-KURVE-TAT-PRASADEH”
FORM OF DATTATREYA:
“AVADHOOTHA, SADAANANDA, PARABRAHMA, SWAROOPINE
VIDEHA DEHA, ROOPAYA DATTATREYA NAMOSTUTE” ||
Traditionally Lord Dattatreya is depicted with three heads
representing the trinity of the Hindu Panthaon – Brahma, Vishnu and
Maheswara. He has six hands out of two from Brahma holding the
rosary-japamala that represents the Guru and Knowledge, water
vessel-kamandala that represents the power behind all creation, two
hands from Vishnu holding the weapon-chakra that gives the Moksha from
rebirth cycle and conch shell-Sankha that echoes monosyllable mantra OM
and two has from Shiva holding a drum-dhamaru that awakens all from
sleep/ignorance and a trident-trishula that kills the ego. He is
standing infront of a cow-Kamadhenu that represents creation and
kindness and the tree (Audumbar tree) which represents wish fulfilling
tree. He is followed by four faithfull dogs which represent the four
Vedas-Rig,Yajur,Atharvana and Sama Vedas which follow at the feet of the
lord, as hounds of heaven, the watch-dogs of truth, owned by Dattatreya
for the souls of men. The ochre coloured gard of dattatreya symbolises
Sansyasa, the spirit of renunciation or detachment. He has matted hair
on his head. His body is ever smeared with holy ashes and he wears
tiger-skin for his garment. His faces and form are ever radiant with
peace and divine charm. The three heads stemming from the same trunk
represents the powers of creation, preservation and destruction which
are present in the Universe as being the functions that emanate from one
and the same. Dattatreya appears with a bag hung on his shoulder. He
has all the powers of God viz., creation, preservation and destruction..
But he lives as a Fakir. The term Fakir means a begger owning nothing
except a bag (a Jhola) and a stick in his hand, which is sometimes
identified with the trident. He goes for Bhiksha or alms, for he lives
in alms. The spiritual reading of this Bhiksha or alms-begging by lord
Dattatreya is that he is asking us “Give me all your sins”. He asks for
the sins of our past and present life. He will collect the sins of all
people, he can swallow and digest all the sins of all the people. He
goes from door to door asking for alms. He puts them in his Jhola or a
bag and walks off and digests everything.
The form of Dattatreya is given in Vishnu Dharmottara Purana –which
is worshipped by the devotees. However this is not his real form. This
form is meant to help the worshipper to understand the immense powers
of the Guru and to appreciate the unity of God head.
Dattatreya is none other than Brahman, Paramatman, Isvara, Narayana,
the source of all existence, knowledge and bliss. Sat-chit-Ananda. It is
Brahman because it is full, complete and makes all complete. The
concept of Dattatreya, the lord Brahman, the greatest teacher (Guru) of
liberation (Moksha) in this life and the state of his being a real
philosopher (Avadhootha tatwa) which offers true meaning of life here,
shows that is all that exists.
